The present invention relates to advertising broadly and, more particularly relates to a system and method for monitoring calls in or out of an Internet-based telecommunications network and delivering logically evaluated targeted advertisements to particular callers during call set-up.
The Internet is a worldwide network of computers and computer networks that can communicate with each other using the Internet Protocol (IP). Any device connected directly to the Internet has a unique IP address used by other devices to route information to it, e.g., messages. At the network layer, things become standardized with the Internet Protocol (IP) adopted for logical addressing. At the transport layer, most communication adopts either the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) or the User Datagram Protocol (UDP). TCP is used when it is essential that every packet sent is received by the other device, whereas UDP is used when it is required as to not impede progress of a session.
Both TCP and UDP packets carry TCP and UDP port numbers with them to specify what application or process the packet should be handled. Above the transport layer, there are certain protocols that are sometimes used and loosely fit in the session and presentation layers, most notably the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols. Another protocol that loosely fits in the session and presentation layers is the Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) most notably used to stream. Finally, at the application layer, are many of the protocols Internet users would be familiar with such as HTTP (web browsing), POP3 (e-mail), File Transfer Protocol (file transfer), IRC (Internet chat), BitTorrent (file sharing) and OSCAR (instant messaging).
A gateway is an end point to any given network. On the Internet, a node or stopping point can be either a gateway node or a host (end-point) node. In telecommunications, the term “gateway” means a network node (i.e., a computer configured to perform the tasks of a gateway) equipped for interfacing with another gateway that can use different protocols. A gateway may contain devices such as communications protocol translators, impedance matching devices, rate converters, fault isolators, or signalling translators as necessary to provide system interoperability. A protocol translation/mapping gateway interconnects gateways with different network protocol technologies by performing the required protocol conversions.
Voice over Internet Protocol (“VoIP”) is a family of transmission technologies for delivery of voice communications over Internet Protocol (IP) networks such as the Internet or other packet-switched computer networks. VoIP essentially is Internet telephony, as distinguished from the “traditional” public switched telephone network (PSTN). To originate an Internet telephone call, the analog voice signal is converted to digital format and the digitized signal is compressed or translated into IP packets for transmission from gateway to gateway. The process is reversed at the receiving end when needed. VOIP systems employ audio CODECs to encode and decode audio signals, which enable transmission over an IP network. The audio transmission is traversed using RTP. The call set-up and tear-down is traversed using TCP. SIP is the most commonly used Protocol in VoIP, which is the reason why it is being explained in more detail than the other protocols, such as H.323, MGCP.
Various methods of connecting to VOIP service providers are known. For example, a conventional analog telephone adapter (ATA) is connected between an IP network (such as a broadband connection) and an existing telephone jack and managed by broadband Internet providers such as cable companies and telephone companies. Dedicated VoIP phones allow VoIP calls without the use of a separate computer. VoIP phones connect directly to an IP network (using technologies such as Wi-Fi or Ethernet) using a service from a VoIP service provider or PBX System. Softphones, also known as an Internet phones, comprise software that is installed on a computer and which allows VoIP calling without dedicated hardware.
Session initiation protocol (SIP) is a digital audio session control protocol that employs design elements similar to the HTTP request/response transaction model. SIP is primarily used in setting up and tearing down voice or video calls. It has also found applications in messaging applications, such as instant messaging, and event subscription and notification. The voice and video stream communications in SIP applications are carried over another application protocol, the Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP). Parameters (port numbers, protocols, CODECs) for these media streams are defined and negotiated using the Session Description Protocol (SDP), which is encapsulated in the SIP packet body.
SIP clients typically use TCP or UDP on port numbers 5060 and/or 5061 to connect to SIP servers and other SIP endpoints. Port number 5060 is commonly used for non-encrypted signalling traffic whereas port 5061 is typically used for traffic encrypted with Transport Layer Security (TLS). Each SIP transaction consists of a client request that invokes a particular method or function on the server and at least one response. SIP reuses most of the header fields, encoding rules and status codes of HTTP, providing a readable text-based format. SIP works in concert with several other protocols and is only involved in the signalling portion of a communication session.
SIP was designed to enable the construction of functionalities of network elements designated proxy servers and user agents. These are features that permit familiar telephone-like operations: dialing a number, causing a phone to ring, hearing ringback tones or a busy signal. Implementation and terminology are different in the SIP world but to the end-user, the behaviour is similar to “traditional” PSTN. SIP is a peer-to-peer protocol so requiring only a simple (and thus scalable) core network with intelligence distributed to the network edge, embedded in endpoints (terminating devices built in either hardware or software).
Broadband services and VoIP telephony in particular has developed into a dynamic industry in a relatively short period of time. As with all revisions and evolutions within in the communications industry, crops of expanded technologies and innovations have grown and developed around VOIP service, for example, telephony-based advertising.
One of the leading deciding factors in choosing a broadband telephony service is cost. In today's market, however, the consumer has no outlet with which to defer this cost without sacrificing usability, functionality and routine. Current Internet-based communications services are limited in their ability to discount or defer cost due to high network and infrastructure costs. For that matter, available Internet-based communication services are limited in ability to receive feedback from their subscribers. The average consumer is too busy with their daily life to stay on the phone and wait on hold to speak with a customer care representative, even to report issues they might have with their service, large or small.
For that matter, the conventional marketing and advertising industry shares a related dilemma. That is, the so-called “New Media” has become saturated and profitability has decreased. Targeted advertising appears to be less efficient, effective and precise as promised. Moreover, “New Media” supplies little to no feedback from consumers to the advertisers. For example, with the introduction of the Digital Video Recorder (DVR) throughout the world, consumers are able to record live television, hence, increasing the amount of consumers that skip through commercials.
A similar trend is occurring on the radio, i.e., in radio advertising. Consumers are no longer just listening to the standard AM and FM radio channels in their car or home. An increase in sales of digital audio players, portable media players (which can be plugged directly into the home or car stereo), as well as satellite radio has seen a decrease in amounts of related advertising dollars, as most of the media provided by the aforementioned devices is commercial free. Another factor leading to less effectiveness in advertising is a lack of an equal playing field between competitors. Small companies do not have the amount of resources or the market presence to compete with larger entities.
Various technologies developed in an effort to capitalize on “new media” advertising, but are ineffective for various reasons.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,625 to Lederman (the '625 patent) discloses a system by which “ad service inserters” route calls through local exchanges. This technique, however, is unworkable. It appears that the '625 patent, however, did not anticipate the network upgrade cost that this would impose on the carriers. While the '625 patent asserts that at least three groups of telephones and at least three ad service apparatuses should be interposed between each local exchanges, this is not relevant with Internet based communications. For that matter, the '625 patent teaches interrupting one or both parties, and only allowing the communication process to continue once all advertisements have been completed and requiring “more ad service call routers than ad insertion means.” Such operation is not user friendly and appears to more effectively alienate users than cultivate them.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,007 to Marino (the '007 patent) discloses a system for providing an economical telephone toll service whereby a toll call and/or directory assistance call is processed as usual but at a reduced rate of charge or with automatic credit being given to the customer's account. The '007 patent process is initiated before the call is commenced and completed before the call is connected. The '007 patent process includes consumer keypad feedback but requires the user to submit feedback at the end of each advertisement before continuing on to the next advertisement. The requirement appears to make users uncomfortable, particularly where they might be in a hurry to connect to a caller.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,856,673 to Banks (the '673 patent) discloses a system and method to evaluate eligibility of a caller to receive advertisements based on “receiving a partial sequence of digits” in mid dial. The '673 patent, however, does not appear to have anticipated the way technology would change this transaction with current technology (VoIP). Using VoIP, all dialed digits are received at once after the dialing process is complete. The VoIP user's phone will not send this information to the '673 patent process as a partial sequence, which is known as Digit-Mapping. For that matter, Digit-Mapping is regulated by the government because of E911, so will not be superseded in the near future.
The '673 patent asserts that once a match is found for a consumer's advertisement, an advertising module will select an advertisement based on whether a discounted alternative network is available. But while operable, such operation requires multiple networks and one network that is proprietary to the disclosed invention. Using a proprietary network, however, is neither economical nor required with current technology. So while the '673 patent does disclose creating a caller profile and an advertisement profile, these profiles cannot be implemented using current technologies.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,227,929 to Seelig (“the '929 patent”) discloses a system for delivering advertisements on copper (or analog) and switchboard communications system over SS7-based lines. That is, the '929 patent describes analog-based communication services utilizing switchboards and central switching offices and non-audible “out of band” signals. Such operation is not utilized with all Internet-based communications as there is no voltage fluctuations on the communication service platform.
The '929 patent utilizes advertisement injection devices that communicate over terrestrial lines or radio frequencies, but fails to anticipate the Internet as a tool for data transmission and a substitute for copper and SS7 communications. With the use of broadband IP services, there is no “out-of-band” signal on the line (i.e., an analog SS7 signal). The ad injection proposed by the '929 patent Seelig could never commence under current Internet based communication services.
US Patent Appln. Pub. No. 2007/0047692 to Dickinson (“the '692 application”) discloses a VoIP system whereby users are notified in case of an emergency. The '692 application broadcasts the alert by calling all of the affected users at once. The '692 application, however, fails to account for the stress this would impose on any communication network, nor is it clear on how the information is derived from the subscriber. For that matter, while the '692 application asserts that the information can be derived from E-911 records, such access is governmentally regulated and would pose to be a formidable obstacle. The '692 application mentions that when an emergency alert is received, the network would have to query a third party vendor to obtain the alert to pass through to the consumer.